For learners with an instructor and nervous drivers · 09:00 to 16:00
Quietest times to practise motorway driving
For a first motorway drive, pick Sunday at 09:00: the fewest vehicles of any daytime hour, measured between 1 May 2026 and 15 June 2026. The quietest motorway on a weekday is the M69.
Quietest daytime hour, day by day
09:00 to 16:00, the middle measured roadQuietest motorways on a weekday
09:00 to 16:00, roads with 5+ sensorsBefore you go
Learners may only use motorways with a DVSA Approved Driving Instructor in a dual-control car showing L plates, under Highway Code rule 253. These figures are typical patterns from the sensor archive, not live traffic: check for closures on the road you plan to use, and for anything happening on the day.
Questions about practising on motorways
What is the quietest time to practise driving on a motorway?
Between 09:00 and 16:00, the quietest time measured is Sunday at 09:00, with about 1,461 vehicles an hour past the middle sensor. Measured from National Highways roadside sensors between 1 May 2026 and 15 June 2026, not estimated.
Which motorway is quietest to practise on?
Of the motorways measured by at least 5 sensors, the M69 carries the least weekday traffic between 09:00 and 16:00, followed by the M49 and the M20.
Can learner drivers drive on the motorway?
Only with a DVSA Approved Driving Instructor, in a car with dual controls and L plates (D plates in Wales). That is Highway Code rule 253. Once you have passed your test you can drive on motorways alone.